QATARI
CASES

MONACO
(MON): IAAF confirmed two doping cases of good quality Qatar athletes. Abubaker
Kamal who is steeple olympic and world medalist was positive last December at
Arab Games in Doha and is banned for 2 years until January 8, 2014. He will
lost two gold medals winning at the games (5000 m and steeple). Sprinter Femi
Ogunode (of Nigerian origin) who was finalist at World Championships 400 m last
year was also tested positive at Arab Games last December and will return his
gold medals at 100 m and 200 m. His ban ends also on January 8, 2014. He is
Qatari record holder at 200 m (20.30) and 400 m (45.12). In 2010 Ogunode won
the 200 m and 400 m at Asian Games in Guangzhou. IAAF also confirmed the ban of
Lithuanian marathon runner Zivile Balciunaite from European Championships in
Barcelona, she finally lost her gold medal and is banned until September 5,
2012.

BUBKA
STADIUM IN SERBIA

SMEREDEVO
(SRB): The symbolic foundation stone of the new athletics stadium was laid on
Monday in the town of Smeredevo in Serbia situated 50 km from Belgrade. The
venue is named after Sergey Bubka, Olympic champion, 10 times outdoor and
indoor world champion, 35 times pole vault world record holder, as well as IOC
member, IAAF Vice-President and President of Ukrainian NOC. The stadium will be
constructed inside the medieval Smederevo Fortress built in the 15th century
when the town was the Serbian capital. Running track surface is expected to be
completed over the next two months. It will be July when the arena hosts its
first national competitions. The first international event will take place at
the Sergey Bubka Stadium before the summer ends. Sergey Bubka took part in the
foundation stone laying ceremony wishing that the new venue would serve to
promote sport among the young Serbians and help to bring new athletic stars
from Serbia on the world stage.

KENENISA
VS. MO

EUGENE
(USA): For this years Prefontaine Classic a super field is expected in the
men´s 5000 m. Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in Kenenisa Bekele
of Ethiopia against the reigning World Championships gold medalist in Mo Farah
of Great Britain. Both are very familiar with Hayward Field and plan to meet
again in London at the Olympics. Fastest among the group are the veterans, led
by Ethiopian Tariku Bekele, Kenyan Edwin Cheruiyot Soi, Kenyan Thomas Pkemei
Longosiwa, and Kenyan Jacob Cheshari. The U.S. will be represented by three
world-class runners with 2008 Olympic experience. Galen Rupp (13:06.86), more
accomplished at the 10K (finalist at 2008 Olympics and last three World
Championships), Matt Tegenkamp (12:58.56) and Dathan Ritzenhein. But there is
also a stunning group of young guns, and one of them has impressive
experience already. Isaiah Koech of Kenya, at age 17, was just out of the
medals at last year’s World Championships, finishing 4th and was ranked No. 4
in the world by T&FN. Among the slightly older are a pair of
Ethiopians with world-class times, 22-year-old Yenew Alamirew (13:00.46) and
21-year-old Abera Kuma (13:00.15). The youngest runners in the field may
provide the most intrigue. Albert Rop, a 17-year-old from Kenya who
doesn’t turn 18 until December, came out of nowhere to run 13:03.70 last year.
Tesfaye Cheru, a 19-year-old Ethiopian, will debut at this distance after
bursting on the scene last year with a 2K world junior record. William
Malel, an 18-year-old Kenyan, won last year’s 3K World Youth Championships gold
medal. David Bett, a 19-year-old Kenyan, won the 2010 World Junior
Championships gold medal at age 17 and has a best of 13:06.06. Also in the
field are two-time Olympian Alistair Ian Cragg of Ireland (13:03.53),
three-time Olympian Craig Mottram of Australia (12:55.76), 2008 Olympian Collis
Birmingham of Australia (13:10.97), and 2010 European silver medalist Chris
Thompson of Great Britain (13:11.51). Organizers are informing.

YELENA
FOR HERCULIS

MONTE
CARLO (MON): Pole Vault star Yelena Isinbaeva will make her final pre-Olympic
appearance at the Herculis Samsung Diamond League meeting in Monaco on 20 July
2012. In 2008 the Russian star set a 5.04m World record in Monaco in her
last outing prior to the Olympic Games in Beijing. She later raised that record
in the Olympic final in the Chinese capital. Isinbaeva will most certainly have
the same mindset when she makes her return to the Louis II Stadium. After
breaking her own World record indoors with a 5.01m leap this past winter
and conquering a fourth World Indoor title, Isinbayeva has decided to
compete in the Principality of Monaco, a place she knows very well as she
regularly trains at the Louis II stadium where the conditions fit her really
well. „I am looking forward to competing at the Monaco Herculis Samsung Diamond
League Meeting. For me this is one of the very best competitions on the circuit
and I really wanted to come back and compete here this summer. The fans
and the atmosphere are great so I look forward to do my best here in July.”
She will compete before Monaco at two French meetings – Reims on July 4 and
Sotteville on July 10. Organisers previously announced double Olympic sprint
champion and World record holder Usain Bolt who will contest the 200m.

COLLINS
VS RODGERS IN JAPAN

KAWASAKI
(JPN): At Sunday´s Golden Grand Prix meet (IAAF World Challenge) World champion
Allyson Felix will compete for first time this year in an individual event. In
the 100 m her main rival will be one of the fastest Europeans, Ivet Lalova of
Bulgaria. 400 m world champion Amantle Montsho should expected an easy run as
main opponents are US Shareese Woods and Mary Wineberg with Ireland´s Jo
Cuddihy. Since Berlin World Championships 2009 for first time outside USA
running will be former double world champion Michelle Perry at the 100 m
hurdles (she is 33 on May 1). In men´s hurdles Chinese star Liu Xiang will
debut into the olympic season, main rival is US Omo Osaghae who clocked last
weekend in Des Moines 13.24. Kim Collins vs. Mike Rodgers will be the top men´s
100 m duel. Olympic winner Brimin Kipruto leads the Kenyan charge in the steeple
(8:19 world lead is expected to go). Men´s hammer starts the IAAF HT Challenge
with German Markus Esser, former Poland´s olympic and world winner Szymon
Ziolkowski, Asian Games winner Dilshod Nazarov, top US Kibwe Johnson, European
U23 Champion Pawel Fajdek of Poland, Latvian record holder Igors Sokolovs and
Russian Sergey Litvinov.

OTHER NEWS

SANTA
MONICA (USA) : The Santa Monica Track Club, perhaps the most winning track club
in U.S. history with twenty-nine Olympic medals, 38 world records and 60 U.S.
records set or tied, and thousands of athletes trained, is in financial
trouble. Coach Joe Douglas, who founded the Santa Monica Track Club in 1972, is
left with no sponsors and financial resources and fears the club will have to
shut down reports surfsantamonica.com.

BRUSSELS
(BEL): The Flemish athletics federation can add two more athletes to their team
for the European championships in Helsinki. Koen Naert and Soufiane Bouchikhi
managed times of 28:32.29 and 28:35.91 respectively at the Payton Jordan invitational.

LAUSANNE
(SUI): European athletics reports that Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin has been
elected the new President of Athletics Ireland, replacing Liam Hennessy who
held the post for the past four years . Ó Catháin has been something of a revelation
for Irish athletics in recent years using his role as President of Athlone
Institute of Technology to build world class facilities for the sport with an
outdoor 400m track built three years ago and a new state of the art 200m
indoor track just months away from opening.

LONDON
(GBR): Ian Beattie has been appointed non-executive chairman of Scottish
Athletics, the position from which former national athletics coach Frank Dick
resigned in February. The Edinburgh based chartered accountant is chief operating
officer of Lindsays Solicitors and is also race director of the West Highland
Way race. Beattie has run 85 marathons and ultra marathons and has been
involved in various clubs according to Insidethegames.

SAINT
JEAN DE MONTS (FRA): Delegates of all French athletics clubs have gathered in
Saint Jean de Monts for a yearly assembly. Aside from voting and approving
new rules and regulations the French athletics association also paid a special
tribute to former pole vaulter Pierre Quinon, who commited suicide last August,
and to now retired IAAF General secretary Pierre Weiss.

PRAHA
(CZE): Last bibs were sold for the Volkswagen Prague Marathon on May 13. The
capacity is set at 9000 runners. At the half-marathon in March 11 000 runners
competed.

ADDIS ABABA
(ETH): Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) keeps the title sponsorship for Great
Ethiopian Run, the biggest road races in Africa for the second year running.
The 12th edition of the 10km International CBE Great Ethiopian Run is taking
place on Sunday 25th November 2012 with 36,000 participants. Great Ethiopian
Run (GER) is introducing a new early registration system for participants.

KINGSTON
(JAM): 2009 hurdles world champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton (37) is working her
way to full fitness; not quite there yet with the smooth mechanics that helped
her to a world gold but with each cleared hurdle, she moves one step
closer to realising her own dreams – a first Olympic medal. The athlete
was among the first to report to training at Stadium East when The Sunday
Gleaner visited the MVP Track Club. A serious hamstring injury to her left
leg in 2010; a repeat of a similar injury suffered in 2007 to her
right leg left her 2011 IAAF World Championships campaign in shreds with the
national record holder failing to make the final with a 12.87 clocking in
the semi-final.

TOKYO
(JPN): Olympic winner and world champion Koji Murofushi said he is thrilled at
the chance of competing for a second Olympic gold this year, and may even
continue his career until the next Games. „It feels great and thrilling that I can
throw in London. My life has never been so full as now,” the 37-year-old told
Japanese media in San Jose, California, where he has been preparing for his
fourth Olympics. He said that he aimed to compete at the 2013 world
championships in Moscow, and held up the prospect of taking part in the 2016
Games in Rio de Janeiro. Murofushi is planning to open his season early June at
national championships.

RESULTS

IRVINE
(USA, Apr 29): At Steve Scott Invitational British sprinters achieved solid
times. Andy Robertson 10.31 (+1.7) in the 100 m and Chris Clarke 20.65 (+0.2)
in the 200 m (and also 46.41 in the 400 m). Charles Jock won the 800 m in
1:46.59 and world champion Jason Richardson achieved 13.32 (-0.2) at 110 m hurdles.
Sub 13 in women hurdles by 2004 olympic winner Joanna Hayes 12.87 (+1.0, her
fastest since 2008) and Candice Davis 12.90.

ORLANDO
(USA, Apr 28): At Annual Spring Classic meet fast times by German hurdlers
Alexander John (13.60, -0.2) and Erik Balnuweit (13.61).

LICHTENFELS
(GER, Apr 28): Corinna Harrer clocked personal best at 3000 m here with
8:55.47.

MEDELLIN
(COL, Apr 29): During second day of Restrepo Grand Prix junior Diego Palomeque
contined in great display of shape with 20.69 at the 200 m (national junior
record).

ABIDJAN
(CIV, Apr 29): At the African meet of Abidjan Ben Meite got good sprinting
double with 10.29 and 20.73. 2004 olympic hurdles medalist Naman Keita of
France won the 400 m in 46.42.

WROCLAW
(POL, Apr 28): Fast 300 m races by Rafal Omelko 33.33 and Marcin Marciniszyn
33.62.

WESTWOOD
(USA, Apr 29): At the dual meet here Canadian Aaron Brown clocked 10.33 (+1.0)
and 20.53 (+2.2) sprint wins.

SAVIGNY
(FRA, Apr 29): World indoor medalist Pascal Martinot-Lagarde started with 13.92
(-4.0) at a local meet.

VARAZDIN
(CRO, Apr 29): New Brazilian hammer record for Wagner Domingos in Croatia with
72.78 m.

MOLFETTA
(ITA, Apr 29): Vito Di Bari with 42:09 and Eleonora Giorgi 46:08 won the
Italian Walking Grand Prix event here.

YANGZHOU
(CHN, Apr 29): Dubai marathon winner and world leader Ayele Abshero in his
first competition since January won the Half Marathon here in 1:01:11. Second
Kenyan Silas Kipruto 1:01:47 and third Moroccan El Hassan Elabbasii 1:01:57. In
the women category Kenyan Fyles Ongori in 1:11:07 beat by one second Ethiopian
Feysa Tadesse 1:11:08, third also close Kenyan Alice Mogiri 1:11:11 with
Bezunesh Bekele fourth 1:11:15. Dubain winner Aselefech Mergia was 7th
(1:11:41). From Tilastopaja.

SAD NEWS

OSLO
(NOR): Sten “Stein” Jean Johnson died on April 28 in Oslo at age of 90, he was
8th at Olympic Games 1948 in discus and fourth at European Championships 1950.
Later a top Speed skating coach.

JOHANNESBURG
(RSA): Former South African marathoner Frank Pooe, who finished 3rd at the 1999
Boston marathon (2:11:37) and 3rd of the 1999 All-Africa Games, passed away
recently after a short illness. He was 37. Informs African Athletics
United facebook.